diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4318aafa5..13598acd2 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ AC_PATH_TOOL(STRIP, strip)
 AC_PATH_TOOL(GCOV, gcov)
 AC_PATH_PROG(LCOV, lcov)
 AC_PATH_PROG(JAVA, java)
+AC_PATH_PROG(PYTHON, python)
 AC_PATH_PROG(GENHTML, genhtml)
 AC_PATH_PROG([GIT], [git])
 AC_PATH_PROG(CCACHE,ccache)
@@ -351,6 +352,9 @@ if test x$use_lcov = xyes; then
   if test x$JAVA = x; then
     AC_MSG_ERROR("lcov testing requested but java not found")
   fi
+  if test x$PYTHON = x; then
+    AC_MSG_ERROR("lcov testing requested but python not found")
+  fi
   if test x$GENHTML = x; then
     AC_MSG_ERROR("lcov testing requested but genhtml not found")
   fi